History of Exuma

We know that Christopher
Columbus discovered San Salvador in the Bahamas. We also know that he did
not discover the island of Exuma because if he had found this jewel in the
sun he would surely have stayed rather than return to Spain.

After the American war of Independence
some wealthy landowners, loyal to the English crown, dismantled their homes
brick by brick and shipped everything, including their slaves, to the Bahamas.
One of the wealthiest was Lord Rolle who established his new home in Exuma.
For some years he grew cotton but the thin soil and the chenille bug thwarted
his efforts and he returned to England.

Before leaving he freed all his slaves
and created what is knon as “generation land” where slaves were
given plots of his land to build on and farm if they took Lord Rolles name.
This explains why there are so many Rolles in Exuma today.

George Town is the capital of Exuma
with a population of around 800. It is built around Lake Victoria and on
the western edge of Elizabeth Harbour. Nowadays it has several hotels and
restaurants and dive shops and a supermarket.

During the second world war the American
Navy chose Elizabeth Harbour as the most protected large expanse of water
in the whole Bahamas and based many warships in Exuma. After the war the
area resorted to its previous tranquil state and only now are the Out Islands
being discovered by the tourist. Many of the local needs are provided by
the weekly mailboat from Nassau.